The Newton County Sheriff's Office has received a grant that will allow them to hire two additional deputies and pay their salaries and benefits for three years, according to Sheriff Ezell Brown.

The Community Oriented Policing Services grant (COPS), was awarded to the NCSO in the amount of $303,020. They are the only sheriff's office in the state to receive the grant and one of only 31 agencies in Georgia and 379 nationwide.

The COPS grant has been in high-demand because of budget cuts and the U.S. Department of Justice received more than 4,400 requests for a total of approximately $2.2 billion. The sheriff's office will be required to keep those newly hired or rehired deputies employed for at least a year after the grant money runs out.

“This will be a great help not only to the sheriff’s office but also to the community,” said Brown.

Following the budget cuts to the sheriff's office, Brown was forced to lay off over 20 employees. Hiring will begin as soon as the grant funds are received.